Environmental Monitoring

Mangroves often grow in the concrete-lined stormwater drains at the port, restricting the capacity of the drains to carry the designed water flows and damaging the lining of the drain.  Consequently, mangrove seedlings are periodically removed under a permit issued by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F).

In the past these seedlings were destroyed, but since June 1999 we have transplanted the mangroves to an experimental area along the southern bund wall.  The mangrove transplantation trials are conducted under a Marine Plant Permit and are monitored on a six-monthly basis.

Monitoring of the transplanted mangroves is undertaken to compare plant growth rates:

• across a range of transplanting methods (from seeds to 1-metre tall seedlings)
• between placement areas of varying exposure to wind and waves
• with naturally established mangroves in adjacent areas
  

As a result of the mangrove transplantation trials we have developed a protocol to maximise the successful transplanting and establishment of mangroves.  We now supply seedlings to approved rehabilitation projects in consultation with DPI&F.  Projects to date include the Oxbow Rehabilitation on Bulimba Creek (2,000 + mangroves supplied), Loder Creek, Gold Coast (250 + mangroves supplied) and Brisbane Water.  The success rates are better than 90% survival.

More recently we have been supplying marine couch to rehabilitation projects using the protocols established for mangrove transplantion.

Supplying off-site rehabilitation projects also reduces the need to obtain seed stock from native populations.